'Earth' Quake

The two-hour premiere of NBC’s new sci-fi series Earth 2 blasted off in 8th place, nipping its time-slot rival, CBS’ 60 Minutes (9th), and finishing just behind NBC’s other new hit drama, ER (7th). New York cops also scored, as David Caruso’s farewell brought ABC’s NYPD Blue (4th) its highest ratings ever, and CBS’ Sunday Cagney & Lacey movie (6th) blew away NBC’s Star Trek VI (24th) and ABC’s The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (32nd). NBC’s New York sitcoms Mad About You (9th) and Friends (13th) drew their biggest audiences ever with episodes set during a blackout, and while two installments of ABC’s Roseanne placed in the top 15, NBC’s movie Roseanne and Tom: Behind the Scenes thudded in 76th. And it’s no illusion: ABC’s Siegfried & Roy: The Magic, The Mystery really did materialize in 17th.